Exam 2: Tools of Relationship Science

Wei-Chin designed a self-report inventory to measure how intimate partners express affection and hostility toward each other. The inventory is a list of positive behaviors (e.g., back rubs, holding hands) and negative behaviors (e.g., slamming doors, raising voices). After a wide range of couples completed the inventory, Wei-Chin found that happy couples endorsed all the affection items and unhappy couples endorsed all the hostile items. Which of the following problems prevents Wei-Chin from concluding that happy couples exchange more affectionate behaviors than unhappy couples?

Which of the following statements regarding the role of the scientific method in relationship studies is true?

You are designing an exploratory study on couples who have polyamorous relationships (i.e., they have multiple committed relationships at one time). There is very little research in this area, and not much is known about how these couples manage their relationships. What kind of measurement strategy would be the most appropriate for this new research area?

Why would you choose to design a longitudinal study rather than conduct an experiment?

Andy decides to use a measure of how many times per week research participants talk to their partners as a measure of relationship closeness. According to the chapter on research methods, Òhow many times per week research participants talk to their partnersÓ is ________.

7.Why would a researcher choose to conduct an experiment rather than longitudinal research to understand relationship processes?

Ajay wanted to learn more about how romantic partners share good news with each other. He asked sixty married couples to describe their conversations with their spouses and to rate their partners' responses to any good news that was shared. The spouses also rated their relationship satisfaction. The questionnaires were completed every day before bed for 14 days. What kind of research design is this?

You are designing an exploratory study on couples who have polyamorous relationships (i.e., they have multiple committed relationships at one time). There is very little research in this area, and not much is known about how these couples manage their relationships. Which research approach would be the most appropriate for this new research area?

Which of the following is a limitation of self-report data in the study of couples?

The goal of gathering data in relationship research is ultimately to:

________ means not sharing participants' information with people not directly involved with the research, whereas ________ means that, if it were inadvertently released, participants' information could not be linked to them.

11.In a review of 280 studies published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, over half of all the studies sampled college students. What are the pros and cons of using samples of college students in relationship research?

Vinci is conducting a study comparing conflict strategies in newlyweds and couples who have been married for 20 years. She has chosen to use laboratory-based observation. A disadvantage of this choice is that:

According to the chapter on research methods, which of the following is FALSE?

What is a positive consequence of choosing a representative sample?

ÒDo couples who cohabit before marriage have less conflict as newlyweds than couples who do not cohabit before marriage?Ó This is an example of a(n) ________ research question.

Which of the following statements regarding the role of the scientific method in relationship studies is FALSE?

The measurement of agreement between independent observers when studying behaviors that require some interpretation on the part of the observer is called ________.

You have decided to conduct a research study examining the relationship between depression and relationship satisfaction. To do this you have collected a sample of 120 newlywed couples. In 40 of the couples, neither partner is depressed; in 40 of the couples, one partner is depressed; in the remaining 40 couples, both partners are depressed. You plan to assess both members of each couple on relationship satisfaction and depression every 6 months for the first 5 years of marriage. What type of design is this study?

An effect that is large enough to occur less than 5 percent of the time if the null hypothesis were true is called a: